With all 33 districts and the mail-in ballots counted, it appears that Shayna Sackett-Gable, Elizabeth Callahan and William Meyer have won election to the South Orange-Maplewood Board of Education, according to the Essex County Clerk’s website.
The three candidates, who ran on a “Together We Thrive” ticket together, received a total of 14,629 votes (see below). Voter turnout was just over 14%.
There is no information currently on the number of votes cast for the two write-in candidates, Jeffrey Bennett and Tony Mazzocchi; however, data provided by the Essex County Clerk’s office show an insurmountable gap based on the number of ballots cast.
The Clerk’s office reports that 8,315 voters cast ballots in the race, with each voter allowed to cast 3 votes for BOE. With Sackett-Gable, Meyer and Callahan each garnering 5,000 votes or slightly less, this would mean that write-in candidates Bennett and Mazzocchi would only each be able to garner approximately 3,000 votes at best. The anticipated number of outstanding Vote by Mail (VBM) ballots and provisional ballots would not close the gap. A representative of the clerk’s office said that write-in tallies could be available by Friday. Village Green will continue to follow up.
The results are uncertified. Meyer sent the following statement to Village Green at 10:50 p.m. on November 7:
We are so grateful for all the tremendous support from parents and other community members we saw at polling sites today.
Final vote tallies are still coming in, but we are cautiously encouraged by the results we are seeing so far, and want to express our deep gratitude to the many supporters and volunteers who have gotten us to this point tonight.
Most of all, we are thankful once again for the investment our towns have to a healthy and involved democratic process, and our shared commitment to an equitable and excellent education for all our children.
Terms are for three years. Board members are sworn in in January.
Shayna Sackett-Gable, Liz Callahan and Will Meyer
Read more about the election here.
